Dublin Bus route 31B operates from Dublin City Centre ( Eden Quay ) via Fairview, the Howth Road & Sutton Cross to Howth Summit.
Route 31B differs from route 31, as its spilt's off to the right at Sutton Cross, taking the back way to Howth Summit, not serving Howth Village, but operating via Strand Road & up Carrickbrack Road.
Selected 31B services operate via the Strand Loop,( i.e Strand Road, St Fintans Road, Shielmartin Road & back on the Strand Road ) previously served by withdrawn route 31A.
Route 31B only operates every hour in each direction, unlike its more popular route 31 which operates via Howth Village, renowned as a fishing village.
In December 2008, Dublin Bus Clontarf Garage, which operates route 31B started to take delivery of new Alexander Dennis Enviro400 Volvo B9's, with 15 in total, replacing 1998 Volvo Olympians. EV 75 to 89 were delivered between December 2008 & January 2009.
As routes 31 & 31B are currently not designated low floor routes ( correct Jan 09 ), RV type Volvo Olympians are usually allocated to the route, along with some AV type Volvo B7's & mostly Volvo Olympians.
The 23.00 & 23.30 departs from the City Centre operate as a 31 & 31B together, operating clockwise, serving Sutton Cross, Howth DART & Village, over Howth Summit & back down via Strand Road.
Nitelink route 31N also operates this route overnight.
Route 31 & 31B share the same terminus at Howth Summit, which local route 31C also passes Howth Summit while operating to & from Sutton DART Station.
( feature created 3/1/09 )
Dublin Bus Enviro400, EV 77, just delivered to Clontarf Garage in the last few days seen at Howth Summit, route 31B terminus
Route 31 & 31B are currently not low floor operated, however with the 15 new Enviro400's being delivered, some departures will be low floor from 2009
Upper deck of the Enviro400, these Mark II versions feature extra hopper windows on the upper deck towards the rear for added ventilation
The lower deck of the new Enviro400 feature a new privacy partition between the general seating & wheelchair area
EV 77 of Clontarf Garage at the route 31B terminus at Howth Summit
Route 31B operates via Carrickbrack Road & Sutton Cross to the Summit
Howth Road
( Sybil Hill )
2008 EV fleet allocations ( EV 51 to 100 )
EV 51 to 64 : Conyngham Road
EV 65 to 74 : Harristown
EV 75 to 89 : Clontarf
EV 90 to 100 : Donnybrook
EV 77 pictured at Castle Avenue in Clontarf on route 130
Route 31B was originally launched on Sunday 18th September 1988, replacing route 88 ( Howth Dart Station - Howth Village - Howth Summit - Strand Road - Sutton Dart Station ) which was canceled the day previously. Route 31B operated as a 31 to Sutton, then taking the back way to Howth, via Strand Road, Carrickbrack Road, Howth Summit, Howth Village & terminating at Howth Dart Station. In later years, route 31B only operates as far as Howth Summit.
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EV 77 seen during the snowfall on Saturday 9th January 2010 close to midnight as Dublin City was covered.
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Broadstone Garage Dennis DT 2 on route 31A.
Route 31A was discontinued on Saturday 12th March 2005, with the final departures being oddly operated by DT 2 of Broadstone, as they had being providing additional capacity on Clontarf Garage Howth & Malahide routes during rail disruption in connection with the Irish Rail " DASH " upgrade programme.
DT 2 is seen on St Fintans Road, the terminus of the 31A at Howth, having just operated the 13.20 from Eden Quay & about to return as the 14.05 hrs service.
DT 2 at route 31A terminus.
The 31A was an offshot of the 31 to Howth, sharing the same routing until Sutton Cross, then turning right down Strand Road along the R105 ( the back road to Howth Village ), along Greenfield Road past Santa Sabina school, right at Strand Road, up St Fintan's Road where it terminated, before it returned on the Shielmartin Road & right onto Strand Road.
Route 31A was replaced on Sunday 13th March 2005 with selected 31B services operating into the Strand Road loop to/from Howth.
Additional information on Howth Bus routes is available here....
DT 2 with its " Rail Universal " running board on the dashboard, these duties would provide additional services on Howth Road ( 31 / 32 ) & Malahide Road ( 42 ) departures to cater for additional demand while Dart & suburban train services were curtailed to Portmarnock Station citybound.
The last official Clontarf operated route 31A was by Volvo Olympian RV 427, seen here having just operated in the 09.40 hrs from Strand Road on Saturday 12th March 2005.
Route
31B
City Centre
( Eden Quay )
Bus Aras
Connolly Station
North Strand
Fairview
Howth Road
( Copeland Ave )
Howth Road
( Killester )
Howth Road
( St Annes )
Raheny Village
Howth Road
( Old Sheiling )
Howth Road
( Blackbanks )
Dublin Road
( Killbarrack Rd )
Dublin Road
( Baldoyle Rd )
Sutton Cross
Strand Road
Howth Summit
Howth Road
( Sybil Hill )
EV 14 of Clontarf Garage on Strand Road Howth, with St Fintans Church in the background.
EV 14 has just received its first respray as part of the 3 year paint cycle, following on from similar EV 9 as Clonatrf's 07 fleet is gradually given a new coat.
EV 14 displaying route 31D.
While route 31D was a temporary shuttle route between Howth Junction & Howth Dart Stations during upgrade works on the line a few years ago, the 31D display is still used for the first Howth bound route 31 in the mornings. The first departure from Eden Quay only operates to Howth Dart Station, then becoming a 31B service from the station, up over Howth Summit, down Carrickbrack Road & into the City Centre.
EV 14 with its new glossy coat.
Despite only returning to service a few days ago after its return from the painters, its not long before the admen from Bravo Advertising have the offside frame fitted with a new ad panel.
